Dispatches from the new Russian empire

Went to the Hermitage yesterday. Let’s just say it was looking a little shabby. Not quite up to par. Too many paintings closely set and some seriously drab paint. Saint Petersburg might be the capital of bougie, shabby- chic; could be that whole Imperial Russia meets Leninism thing.

2 thoughts on “The Hermitage”

Re-reading this entry I realized that I did’t do a great job of explaining myself. I have been to the Hermitage many times and volunteered there for awhile. What I wanted to get across is that like much of Russia, it is beautiful and grand and breathtaking but too big to handle, to maintain. The Hermitage is such a large building with such a LARGE collection (really, it’s huge) that it is hard to keep up. Many of the corners have chipped paint and paintings are hung to close. If anything, it makes me love it more.